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What does Fly eat?

Previously, Fnatic looked into Tal “Fly” Aizik’s complex workout routine in the comprehensive article, “Do You Even Lift?”. In the feature we investigated the importance of exercise, however, a topic that was briefly addressed was that proper nutrition is paramount to a healthy lifestyle. Gamers have garnered the unfortunate reputation of being seen as unhealthy, be it far too skinny or dangerously obese. A major aspect to contribute to this stigmatization is the idea that gamers tend have a fixation on quick meals and sugary drinks. Due to the sheer number of people who play video games, this stereotype, like most stereotypes, has very little truth to it. Gamers are comprised of individuals who each have drastically varying eating habits. At Fnatic, we think it’s vital to not only disarm the stigma surrounding gamers but also promote the importance of a healthy living. We attempt to achieve this by looking into Fly’s dietary habits as well as consulting him for tips and tricks in the kitchen that are guaranteed to make you feel and look much better.

So what are Fly’s thoughts concerning nutrition?

“When it comes to nutrition I basically try to eat very clean and non-processed food. I try to cook all my meals by myself and I barely eat out. Ideally, I would always know exactly what I’m eating. I also rarely add extras such as special sauces to my meals. For example, one of my easy but healthy dishes would be chicken with just some pepper on it. Nothing else. It’s both delicious and healthy.”

Therein lies a vital aspect of a healthy nutrition plan. Assuming that a person does not consistently overeat, it is of utmost importance to focus exactly on what you put into your body. This doesn’t mean, though, that you have to stop eating food that tastes good. On the contrary, taste is a huge consideration for Fly when he’s cooking his meals:

“I’ve been eating plain food for a very long time and I love these kinds of meals. Of course other people prefer different types of food but there are a lot of ways to eat healthily while still making it taste good. So even if my diet doesn’t work for someone they can and should still try to eat well.”

There are numerous amounts of theories concerning integrating nutrition into an exercise regime. Having the appropriate amount of energy prior to working out is vital for health and safety reasons. Working out is a strenuous task for the human body and doing so without an adequate amount of energy could lead to serious harm, especially when lifting heavy weights or using complicated gym equipment. Fly describes his ideas surrounding how one can compliment the gym through various eating habits.

“There are millions of theories behind this but at the very least I can say what I do. Generally, I work out in the morning so when I wake up I usually eat something for energy. This could be a banana or maybe some dates, but that’s it. I hit the gym and straight after working out I try to get some protein into my body. If I can’t eat straight away I might take a protein shake, but usually I can make it home within thirty minutes and eat a meal instead. There are a lot of theories that say that eating two hours after physical exercise is important since your body needs carbs and protein to build muscles and recover.”

Often the millions of theories surrounding nutrition contradict each other yet they still have an equal amount of research to back them up. One of the reasons for this is due to the fact that every person's body is individual. It’s extremely difficult to predict how a someone's body will react to a nutrition plan, let alone apply the same ideology to a group of people. In essence, your body is unique. Therefore, the easiest method to know what will help you achieve your desired results through nutrition, whether you aim for a great summer body or are eating healthily to feel better, is to test various different plans until you get it right. However, there are some things that are obvious and do apply to everyone. For example, there’s no good excuse to eat fast food. Of course indulging on occasion won’t kill you, but in general it’s best to abstain from junk food completely. We turn to Fly to further explore the science behind proper nutrition:

“I’m not a nutritionist but I know that one of the reasons that I try to eat very plain food is because my stomach feels a lot better when I do. That really affects everything in my life - I feel much better. That would be a non-scientific reason why I eat plain food and it’s probably the biggest reason I have. Besides that, generally the less stuff you put into your meals the easier it is to not mess it up and ensure that your food is healthy. For people who are not scientists that’s a good way to look at it. Of course, I try to never eat junk food. That’s actually the only problem I have during LANs, you’re sometimes forced to not eat the healthiest of meals.”

While plenty of people eat with specific goals in their mind, such as bodybuilders who look to bulk up before beginning a hardcore workout routine, or people who count calories in order to lose quick weight, Fly's focus is on a healthy lifestyle.

"I don't think about such goals when I cook my meals. I don't want to make my eating habits anything more than just being healthy. I'm not looking to be a bodybuilder or anything of that sort. Usually, I just eat what I like. I might have a standard meal after a workout but I don't count the amount of carbs or protein I'm putting in. No calorie counting or anything like that for me either (Laughs)."

The table on the right shows what Fly might eat on an average day.

Green Shakes are smoothies that feature both fruits and vegetables. They tend to be very healthy and are a great snack in between meals, a great addition to a big breakfast and they're also amazing to enjoy while dominating in any video game.We sat with Fly and came up with a few recipes that are delicious, healthy and easy to make.

In conclusion, eating healthily should be a top priority for all people. There are plenty of gamers, both professional and otherwise, who maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoy all the benefits of living well. Eating right is not only one of the largest factors that affects how you look, but it also makes you feel better. How you feel physically greatly influences you mentally, which is crucial to great success in both life and video games alike. Our Dota 2 team captain, Fly, is a perfect example of a person that leads a healthy lifestyle and we at Fnatic believe it's important to promote proper diets and responsible workout routines in order to change the reputation that stigmatizes gamers and play as efficiently as possible.